Università Roma Tre

This lecture class offers an introduction to the history of photographic languages, practices, and cultures from the origins to the post-WWII period. Lectures will focus on the "close reading" of different types of photographic texts (including individual images, series, photo-texts, books, and exhibitions) and will discuss case studies associated with the crucial moments in the medium's affirmation as an intellectual and artistic field.

Reference texts:
- A. Gunthert, M. Poivert, Storia della fotografia dalle origini ai giorni nostri, Electa, Milano 2009 (or. ed. 2007);
- Jean-Claude Lemagny, André Rouillé, Storia della fotografia, Sansoni, Firenze 1988 (or. ed. 1986).

Further materials will be provided in class.
Regular attendance, while not mandatory, is warmly suggested. A basic knowledge of Modern History and Modern Art History is required.

Distant learning
Students who cannot attend on a regular basis must inform the instructor of their distant learning status by the following deadlines:
- October 31, 2018 (winter exam session, academic year 2017-2018);
- February 15, 2019 (summer exam session, academic year 2018-2019);
- July 15, 2019 (fall exam session, academic year 2018-2019);
- October 31, 2019 (winter exam session, academic year 2018-2019).

Distant learning students failing to inform the instructor by these deadlines will not be admitted to the final exam. All students, in any case, are warmly advised to set up at least one appointment with the instructor during their study period, in order to discuss class objectives and learning strategies.

For the final exam, distant learning students are responsible for the following text, including all photographs and artworks reproduced therein:
- A. Gunthert, M. Poivert, Storia della fotografia dalle origini ai giorni nostri, Electa, Milano 2009 (or. ed. 2007);
- M. Mozzo, Note sulla documentazione fotografica in Italia nella seconda metà dell’Ottocento, tra tutela, restauro e catalogazione, in Arti e storia nel Medioevo, vol. IV, Il Medioevo al passato e al presente, a cura di E. Castelnuovo e G. Sergi, Einaudi, Torino 2004, pp. 847-870;
- O. Lugon, Lo stile documentario in fotografia. Da August Sander a Walker Evans, 1920-1945, Electa, Milano 2008 (or. ed. 2001), pp. 9-134.